Glass-finishing machine



No. 6|3,3|9. Patented Nov. l, |898. A. J. SANFORD & W. A. INGLER. GLASSFINISH'ING MACHINE.

(Application led Jan. 27, 189B.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Z5 DI me Norms versus co, Hom-uma., wAsumsoN. D. c.

No. 6|3,3|9. Patented Nov. I, |898. A. J. SANFORD & W. A. INGLER.

GLASS FINISHING' MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 27, 16298.) (N0 Modem 2 `sheets-sheet 2.

UNITED STATES- ljATnNT OFFICE.

ANDREW JOHN SANFORD, OF NEWARK, AND WILLIAM A. INGLER, OF ZANESVILLE,OHIO.

GLASS-FINISHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,319, dated November1, 1898.

Application filed January 27, 1898. Serial No. 66 8,220. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW JOHN SAN- FORD, residing at Newark, in thecounty of Licking, and WILLIAM A. INGLER, residing at Zanesville, in thecounty of Muskingum, State of Ohio, citizens of the United States, haveinvented a new and useful Glass-Finishing Machine, of which thefollowing isa speciication.

Our invention is an improvement in machines for nishing glass articlesby the abrasive action of a buffer on the surface of the article; andthe object that we have in View is to provide a simple mechanism bywhich dierently-shaped articles may be iinished rapidly andeconomically.

A further object that we have in view is to provide an improvedmechanism by which the buffer or the buer-roll may be brought by agentle motion into contact with the work, thus obviating marring of thesurface of the work, and at the same time We obtain a positive motion tothe driving mechanism.

With these ends in View our invention consists in the .novel combinationof elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which willhereinafter be fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand our invention, we have illustrated thepreferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying draw! ings, forming apart of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of aglass-finishing machine constructed in accordance with our invention.Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View thereof. Fig. 3 is adetail view of one form of buffer which We may use in our machine. Fig.4 is a vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted linea a of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the jaws andbuifer-rolls, the latter being used interchangeably with thebufferplates. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View of part of the machinerepresented by Fig. 5.

Like numerals of reference denote like and corresponding parts in eachof the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying our invention into practice we provide a bed-plate l, havingsuitable means for supporting the same rigidly in place, and saidbed-plate is constructed to support or carry all of the operating partsof the ma'- chine. At a suitable point intermediate of its length thisbed-plate is provided with a shaft-bearing 2, the purpose of which willhereinafter appear. On this bed-plate, at a suitable distance from thehorizontal shaftbearing 2, is fixed a spindle 3, the lower end of whichis threaded and passed through a suitable opening in the bed-plate toreceive a nut 3, designed to clamp the spindle rigidly to saidbed-plate. Around this fixed spindle is arranged a revoluble carrier 4,which is entirely independent of said iixed spindle and is adapted to bedriven at suitable speed for the purpose of carrying the buffer or theroll around the work. This revoluble carrier is concentric with thefixed spindle, and it is provided with a tubular shaft 5, the lower endof which is supported by a bearing-plate 6. This bearing-plate or diskis parallel to the stationary bed-plate l of the machine, and it issupported at a suitable distance from said bed-plate by the fixed posts7. These-posts have their opposite ends fastened in the bed-plate'andthe bearingplate or disk 6, and they sustain the latter at a suitableelevation to maintain the revoluble carrier 4 in proper relation to thework, which is fitted to the stationary form on the fixed spindle 3. Therevoluble carrier 4 has its inner face 4f inclined or iiaredsubstantially as shown by Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the rim or edge ofsaid carrier is constructed to receive the series of hinged jaws S. Vepreferablyemployaseries of three of these hinged jaws, which areattached to the carrier in suitable relation to each other; but ofcourse the number of jaws employed may be varied according to the sizeof the machine and the article to be treated. The hinged jaws aremounted on the revoluble carrier to rotate therewith; but said jaws arealso capable of a limited movement independently of the rotary movementof the carrier for the purpose of adjusting the buer or roll to and fromthe surface of the work which it is desired to treat or nishin ourmachine. or shaped substantially as shown by Fig. 2

Each jaw is formed roo of the drawings, and said jaw is hinged orpivoted to the rim of the carrier by a transverse pivot pin or bolt 9,which is suitably attached to said carrier. The jaws 8 are provided withthe inclined heels 10, adapted to bear or tit firmly against the flaredface 4a of said carrier, and to this end we construct the heels 10 toconform to the inclination of the carrier, so that the desired firmbearing of the jaws on the carrier may be attained. The jaws are furtherprovided with the inclined lugs 11, which extend inwardly toward thefixed spindle of the machine, and these lugs lie at a suitable distanceabove the inclined heels of the jaws to permit the adjusting head ordisk, presently described, to have the necessary play between the heelsand lugs to free the heels of the jaws from contact with the flared face4fL of the carrier.

The upper extremity of the fixed spindle 3 carries a suitable form 12,which is attached to said spindle rto remain stationary thereon, andsaid form is of suitable dimensions and shape to fit into the article tobe treated. XVe do not limit ourselves to any particular shape or sizeof this form l2 nor to the means for attaching the same to the fixedspindle, because the form will be changed in accordance with the articlewhich it is desired to treat in the machine.

The buer-plates of our glass-finishing machine are indicated at 13, andthey are constructed to be applied to the jaws 8 in order that they maypartake of the rotary motion of the carrier and of the oscillatinglimited movement or play of the pivoted jaw. The shape of the buffers isnot material, because we contemplate using a'number of buffers toconform to the external contour of the article which it is desired totreat and finish in the machine. lVe employ a series of metallicbuffers-that is to say, each buffer is made of a suitable metal-such,for instance, as iron, copper, or any other metal suitable for thepurpose; but in our experiments we have found that copper is veryappropriate to the work of finishing the surface of a glass article. Asshown in the drawings, we prefer to attach each buffer to one of thehinged jaws by forming an angular foot 14 at one end of the body of thebuffer, and in this foot is formed a transverse slot 15, through whichpasses a bolt 16 to attach the buffer-foot firmly to one of the jaws.The exposed face of the jaw to which the buffer is to be applied isshaped according to the form of the foot of the buffer, and said foot isapplied or fitted laterally against the jaw to have firm bearingthereon,after which the bolt is passed through the slot and into asuitable socket in the jaw to clamp the buffer firmly on the jaw.

In lieu of the series of buffers we may employ a series ofpressure-rolls 17, as shown by Figs. 5 and G, which bear or ride againstthe work to treat or finish the same and maintain the work in properrelation to the form. The pressure roll or rolls are mounted andsustained in a position with their axes parallel to the vertical line ofthe xed spindle. Each pressure-roll is shaped to conform to the contourof the exposed surface of the work, and it is mounted on one of thehinged jaws of the carrier to rotate with said carrier and to partake ofthe adjustment of the hinged jaw. Each pressure-roll is provided at itsends with pintles or trunnions 18, fitted in sockets 23 in thebearing-plate 19 and the overhanging plate 22. The bearing-plate 19 isseated firmly against the exposed face of the hinged jaw by which thepressure-roll is carried, and said bearing-plate is held firmly in placeby a bolt 20, which passes through said plate and into asocket of thejaw. The overhanging upper plate 22 is parallel to the bearing-plate 19to bring the socket 23 in said upper plate coincident with the socket 23in the bearing-plate, and said upper plate 22 is connected rigidly tothe bearing-plate by the uprghts 21, having its ends suitably fastenedto said upper plate and the bearing-plate. It will thus be seen thateach pressure-roll is shaped to conform to the work,that it is looselyor idly journaled in bearings which support said roll substantiallyparallel to the vertical line of the spindle, that the pressure-roll ismounted on the jaw for movement therewith toward or from the surface ofthe work, and that the roll travels with the carrier in its rotarymotion.

In the preferred embodiment of ourinvention we employ a buffing-platewhich has a broad working surface that conforms to the shape of the workon which it is designed to act, and as this working surface is quitebroad we find it desirable to employ a series of these plates arrangedor mounted on the carrier at points opposite to each. other. It will beunderstood that we do not restrict ourselves to the employment-of asingle buffer-plate nor to the use of any desired number ofpressurerolls, because we are aware that the number of buffer plates maybe varied or that the number of pressure-rolls may be increased when themachine is constructed for use on articles of large diameter. While weprefer to employ copper as the material from which to construct eachbuffer, it is to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to thisparticular substance. The pressure-rolls may also be made of anysuitable metal-aluminium preferred, although not strictly necessary.

The work or article to be treated is held by the form 12 and a suitableholder 23, and to ICO properly guide the work to the form we mount IZSing parts of the machine, and at one end it is fitted on a vertical post26, said arm being furnished with a binding-screw 25a, which is adaptedto clamp the arm rigidly on the post. The post 26 has a threaded teno'nat its lower extremity, which passes through the bed-plate l, and onsaid tenon is screwed a nut 26a, which holds the post rigidly in placeon the bed-plate.

The rotary carrier 4 is driven at suitable speed by means of a pulley27, which is fitted on the tubular shaft 5 above said carrier-plate 6,and around this pulley passes a drivingbelt (not shown) adapted to bepropelled by power from a suitable source--as, for instance, a line ofshafting or an engine.

With the hinged jaws 8 on the revoluble carrier coacts the head 29 on anadjustingsleeve 28. This sleeve is fitted loosely on the upright fixedspindle 3, and it passes through the tubular shaft 5 of the revolublecarrier. The tubular carrier-shaft is mounted loosely on thisadjusting-sleeve 28 to rotate freely thereon, and said adjusting-sleeveextends through the bearing-plate 6 of the carriershaft, so as to haveits lower flanged end eX- posed for the attachment of anadjustingcollar. The upper end of this adj Listing-sleeve is threadedfor the attachment of the head 29, which is in the form of a disk with abeveled periphery, the inclination of which conforms to the angle of theheels 10,forming parts of the hinged jaws 8. This head 29 of theadjusting-sleeve is arranged `in the rentrant angles formed by theinclined lugs ll and heels 10 of the hinged jaws, and said head isadapted to have a limited movement with the adjusting-sleeve 28 in saidangles for the purpose of enabling the beveled bearing edge of the headto clear the inclined heels 10 of the jaws. The movement of the sleeve28 and its head 29 is limited practically by the inclined lugs 11 of thejaws, and when the adjusting-sleeve and its head are raised toward theinclined lugs the heels l0 of the jaws are free from engagement with thehead, so that the centrif ugal action of the hinged jaws, due to therotary motion of the carrier, impels the jaws to positions where thebuffers or the pressurerolls are free from contact with the surface ofthe Work.

We will now proceed to describe the mechanism by which the end wisemovement is imparted to the adjusting-sleeve and its head, and in thisconnection we desire to call attention to the fact that the mechanismfor adjusting the sleeve and its head is driven at a slow speed and atthe same time is so constructed that the movement of the jaws iscontrolled positively and yet slowly to bring the buffers orpressure-rolls into gentle contact with the work. This is important whenit is considered that the work is in a semiplastic or heated conditionand that it is desirable to avoid marring the surface of the worktreated by the improved machine.

The endwise movement of the headed adjusting-sleeve is effectedprimarily by a lever 30, which is fulcrumed at a point intermediate ofits length to a short post 31, Xed on the bed-plate adjacent to theshaft-bearing 2, and the short arm of this lever 30 is pivotallyattached, as at 32, to a collar 32, fitted loosely to the flanged footof the adj usting-sleeve 28. At one side of the shaft-bearing 2 vand theshort post 3l is arranged a liXed post 33,having its lower end rigidlysecured to the bed-plate. On this vertical post is mounted the tubularshaft 35 of a large gear 34, the latter arranged to mesh with adriving-pinion 36, which is attached rigidly to the tubular shaft 5 ofthe rotary carrier 4 at a point adjacent to the driving-pulley 27. Inthe horizontal shaft-bearing 2 is journaled ashaft 37, one end of whichcarries a bevel-gear 38, which meshes with a corresponding bevel-gear39, fastened rigidly to the tubular shaft 35 near the lower end thereof.The other end of this horizontal shaft 37 is provided with a spur-gearpinion 40, which in turn meshes with a large gear 44. This gear 44 has atubular shaft 43, which is supported in a bearing 42 on the standard 41,iiXedto or integral with the bed-plate l, and in one face of this largegear 44 is provided a recess 45. y

46 indicates a treadle-lever suitably hinged on the bed-plate l, and thevertical arm of this treadle-lever is pivotally connected, as at 46a, tothe rear end of a suitable shaft 47, which passes through the tubularshaft 43 of the large gear 44. The front end of this vsliding shaft 47is provided with a friction-disk 48, which is mounted loosely thereon,and said friction-disk is arranged to be drawn/by the shaft into therecess 45 'of the gear 44, so that the inclined peripheral edge of saidfriction-disk 48 will impinge against the inclined annular wall of therecess 45 in the gear 44, thus making the disk 47 fast with the gear 44.This friction-disk has awrist-pin 49, to which is attached one end of alink 50, and the other end of this link is attached to the long arm ofthe lever 30, that imparts the endwise adjustment to the sleeve 28.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,it will be seen that we have provided a speed-reducing gear driven fromthe tubular shaft of the revoluble carrier to reduce the speed which isimparted to the friction-disk by, which the endwise movement of theadjusting-sleeve and its head is effected and that the rotary movementof this friction-disk is controlled entirely by its frictional contactwith one of the train of differential gears. The adjustment of thefriction-disk into and out of engagement with the gear forming a part ofthe train of speed-reducing gears is controlled entirely by the movementof the foot-treadle. While the revoluble carrier is driven directly fromthe pulley on its tubular shaft to rotate at a relatively high rate ofspeed, the endwise adjustment of the sleeve and its head is effectedonly at certain intervals. At the same IOO IIO

IZO

time the speed-reducing gear may be thrown into and out of action by theadjustment of the friction-disk which is controlled by the foot-treadle,and this movement of the friction-disk may be controlled to bring itvery gently into contact with t-he gear 44, so that the movement of theheaded adj Listing-sleeve 2S is not effected suddenly or violently,where by the contact of the buffers or pressure-rolls with the workmay be secured very gently.

This being the construction of our machine, the operation may bedescribed as follows: The glass article to be treated is rst heated byplacing it in the glory-hole of a suitable furnace and is then fitted inthe holder 23, The friction-disk being free from contact with the gear44 and the driving-pulley being in motion, the carrier is revolved, sothat the centrifugal action tends to throw the jaws S and the buffers orthe pressure-rolls, whichever may be mounted thereon, outwardly awayfrom the form on the fixed spindle. The holder is now adjusted topresent the work to and over the fixed form, after which the operatorpresses on the treadle to bring the friction-disk gently into contactwith the gear 44 of the train of speed-reducing gears. Thespeed-reducing gearing being driven positively from the tubular shaft ofthe revoluble carrier, the friction-disk 47 is rotated at a slow speedto move the lever 30 for the purpose of depressing the headedadjustingsleeve 28 to bring the head thereon into engagement withinclined heels of the hinged jaws. As the friction-disk is moved slowlythrough the described speed-reducing-gear connection with the shaft ofthe revoluble carrier the movement of the headed sleeve is effected inlike manner to bring the jaws to positions where the buffers orpressure-rolls are brought gently into contact with the work, and as thecarrier is revolved the bu ffers act on the work to impart the desiredfinish to said work. By releasing the pressure of the treadle-lever thefriction-disk isvthrown out of engagement with the gear 44 and theadjusting-sleeve is moved to free its head from the jaws, whereupon thecentrifugal action of the revoluble carrier throws the jaws to positionswhere the bulfers or pressure-rolls are free from contact with the work,allowing the holder and work to be raised from the fixed form 12. Thework may now be removed, a new piece of work inserted in the holder, andthe parts adjusted as described to repeat the operation.

Our improved machine effects a material saving in the time and laborrequired to iinish glass articles, because the machine may be controlledby unskilled attendants, such as boys, whose compensation or wages maybe very low. The work may be quickly and easily adjusted to the holderand fed to the machine and in like manner removed therefrom. As thecarrier rotates rapidly, the buffers or rolls act on the work to givethe desired iinish thereto very quickly, thus enabling a large number ofpieces of work to be placed in and removed from the machine in a shorttime.

It will be understood that the buffers and pressure-rolls are notdesigned to be attached to the jaws for operation at one and the sametime, but that the buffers or the rolls are used separately orinterchangeably. We employ a construction of the jaws which enables thebuffers to be fixed thereto to partake of the centrifugal and rotaryaction of the jaws, or the buffers may be detached and the rolls mountedon the jaws, according as it is desired to treat the article by therolls or the buffers. This interchangeability of the buffers for therolls, or vice versa, may be effected easily and quickly, because thejaws are readily accessible.

While we have shown and described the machine as having the spindle andother working parts arranged in vertical position, we doA not desire torestrict ourselves to the precise arrangement of the parts, because theworking elements of the machine may be arranged in horizontal positions.

IVe are aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and inthe details of construction may be made by a skilled mechanic withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of ourinvention, and we therefore reserve the right to make such modificationsas clearly fall within the scope of the invention.

IVhat we claim isl. In a glass-finishing machine, the combination of ahigh-speed revoluble carrier, a series of work treating devices mountedthereon for centrifugal movement, a non-rotatable form occupying aposition between said work-treating devices, means for adjusting thework-treating devices independently of the rotary motion thereof withsaid carrier, and speed-reducing gearing between the carrier and saidadjusting mechanism for the work-treating devices, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a glass-finishing machine, the combination with a stationary form,of a high-speed rotatable carrier, a series of work-treating devicesmounted on said carrier around the form and arranged to be moved awayfrom the latter by centrifugal force due to the r0- tation of saidcarrier, an adjusting mechanism for moving the work-treating devicessimultaneously into operative relation to work on said form, amanually-adjustable clutch mechanism connected with the device foradjusting said work-treatin g devices, and speedreducing gear betweensaid carrier and the clutch mechanism,substantially as described.

3. In a glass-finishing machine, the combination with a non-rotatableform, of a highspeed revoluble carrier, a series of centrifugal jawshinged to said carrier, work-treating devices mounted in the jaws, andmechanism driven from the carrier and operatively fitted to the jaws toadjust the latter and the work- ICO treating devices slowly toward theform, said adjusting mechanism including a manuallycontrolled clutch,and speed-reducing gear, substantially as described.

4. In a glass-nishing machine, the combination with a non-rotating formand a revoluble carrier, of a series ofv centrifugal-acting jaws mountedon said carrier to rotate therewith, work-treating devices mounted onthe jaws, and mechanism substantially as described Which counteracts thecentrifugal tendency of the jaws, and adjusts the latter toward theform, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. In a glass-finishing machine, the combination with a non-rotatableform and a revolving carrier, of work treating devices around the form,means for bringing the work-treating devices into contact with the workin said form, and speed-reducing gearing operatively connected with saidadjusting means to impart slow movement to the work-treating devices inmoving the same into contact with the work, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

6. In a glass-finishing machine, the combination with a non-rotatableform and a revoluble carrier, of jaws mounted on said carrier to rotatetherewith, work-treating devices mounted on said jaws, an adjusting-sleeve to engage with said jaws, and speed-reducing gearingoperatively connected with said adjusting-sleeve, substantially as andfor the purposes described.

7. In a glass-finishing machine, the combination with a form, and acarrier, of jaws mounted on said carrier, work-treating devices on saidjaws, an adj usting-sleeve to engage with said jaws, a manually-operatedfriction device operatively connected with said adjusting-screw, andspeed -reducing gearing between the revoluble carrier and said frictiondevice, substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. In a glass-nishing machine, the combi- :nation with a form' and arevoluble carrier, of a series of jaws carrying work-treating devices,an ad justin g-sleeve to engage with said jaws, a lever connected withsaid adjustingsleeve, a slidable spindle carrying a frictiondisk whichis linked to said lever, and a train of speed-reducing gears driven bythe revoluble carrier and having one member thereof arranged to engagewith the friction-disk, substantially as described.

9. In a glass-iinishing machine, the combination with a form and arevoluble carrier, of hinged jaws mounted on said carrier and supportingwork-treatin g devices in operative relation to said form, a headedadjustingsleeve to engage with said jaws, a lever connected with saidadjusting-sleeve, a slidable Shaft carrying a friction-disk which islinked to said lever, a gear supported on a fixed spindle or post andmeshing with a gear on the shaft of the revoluble carrier, and acounter-shaft geared to the first-mentioned gear and driving a recessedgear to coact with the friction-disk, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

l0. In a glass-finishing machine, the combination with a non-rotatableform, of a revoluble carrier supporting a series of worktreatingdevices, a suitable work-holder arranged in axial alinement with saidform and guided toward or from the latter, and mechanism for adjustingthe work-treating devices toward or from the work fitted to said formsubstantially as and for the purposes described.

ll. In a glass-finishing machine, t-he combination with a stationaryform, of a revoluble carrier, hinged jaws attached to said carrier, aseries of plate-like buffers iixed to said jaws to move therewith, andmechanism for imparting slow movement to said jaws to bring the buffersgently into contact with the work, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

12. In a glass-finishing machine, the combination with a form, and acarrier, of centrifugal-acting jaws mounted on the carrier, adjustingmeans for said jaws, and a series of work-treatin g rolls journaled idlyon the jaws and arranged normally with their axes parallel to the axisof the form, substantially as described.

13. In a glass-finishing machine, the combination with a form, and acarrier, of centrifugal-acting jaws, plates fixed thereto and carryingoverhead journal plates, a series of work treating rolls journaled idlyin said plates and adapted with the same to partake of the centrifugalmotion of the jaws, and an adjusting mechanism engaging with said jaws,substantially as described.

14. In a glass-finishing machine,the combination with a non-rotatableform, and a revoluble carrier, of a series of centrifugal jaws mountedon the carrier, a series of worktreating devices carried by said jaws,and a positively-driven and manuallycontrolled mechanism having amovable element which is common to all the jaws and arranged to .movethe latter and the work-treating devices toward the form, substantiallyas described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW J OI-IN SANFORD. WILLIAM A. INGLER. Witnesses for Sanford:

J. LBENEY, H. W. LUGENBEEL. Witnesses for Ingler:

HENRY CARL, REEsE WILLIAMS.

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